Page 22: of Marine News Magazine (February 2012)

22MNFebruary 2012 Arctic Salvage New Market, Bigger ChallengesBy Raina ClarkThe salvage and remediation market off Alaska is expect- ed to change as U.S. and Russian oil interests develop and melting ice tempts more ships through the Northwest Passage. Large salvage companies are eyeing new markets and looking at building their ability to respond to emer- gencies in dangerous northern seas. Dan Magone of Magone Marine in Dutch Harbor, Alaska and Tom Ulrich of American Marine Corporation in Anchorage, Alaska share their insights on the unique challenges of arctic sal- vage and how companies are going about meeting those challenges.WORKINGWITHTHEICE : NOTAGAINSTIT Dan Magone operates one of the smallest companies in the American Salvage Association?s (ASA) network, but Magone Marine is also dedicated specifically to the dan- gerous waters off Western Alaska. Because of his extensive experience in the region, Magone was asked to develop an arctic salvage training module for the ASA. In this train- ing, he addressed the hardships extreme temperatures, ice, freezing sea spray and limited access to equipment present to salvers offshore Alaska. ?Heavy ice with big seas can reduce any vessel to scrap metal,? said Magone. He goes on to explain how sea ice can limit vessel operations and carry off buoys. Large indi- vidual ice floes driven by wind or current can ground alongside a casualty blocking towing or ground tackle operations. Freezing spray can build up on a drifting ves- sel until it?s capsized. It can encase machinery, covering access hatches, fuel manifolds and vents. Magone?s method is to work with the ice or avoid it. Working against it is futile, he said. ?Compromises may have to be worked out with agencies, refuge managers and biologists who would rather we worked in the winter Above: A liquid oxygen and propane cutting rig frozen in spay ice after being left uncovered on a vessel in Alaska waters. MN#2 (18-31):MN 2011 Layouts 2/3/2012 1:41 PM Page 22